City of Hallandale Beach Appoints New Chief of Police

Chief Michel has served the Hallandale Beach community for the last 20 years. His childhood, family life, and career are rooted in South Florida. Chief Michel served in the United States Navy, earned his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, and graduated from several prestigious command institutes, including the Southern Police Institute's Command Officers Development Class 60, the Police Executive Research Forum's (PERF) Senior Management Institute for Police, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Florida Leadership Academy Class 6.

Chief Michel began his career with the Hallandale Beach Police Department in 2002; during his tenure, he has served as a Patrol Officer, Marine Patrol Officer, and Detective. In 2007, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, supervising Uniform Patrol and then the Traffic Unit. In 2011, Chief Michel was promoted to Captain, where he supervised the Community Involvement Unit (CIU), the Investigation Services Division (ISD), and Vice Intelligence and Narcotics (VIN) Unit. In 2017, Chief Michel was promoted as Deputy Chief and, in October 2021, appointed as Interim Chief.

In addition, Chief Michel served as the Commander of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, Special Events Administrator, Honor Guard, and has received multiple awards for Meritorious Service, Team Citations, and earned Supervisor of the Year in 2009.

Under Chief Michel's leadership, the top priorities will be a renewed commitment to community engagement, the cultivation of a data-driven policing culture, a continued pledge to remain at the forefront of the latest innovative approaches in policing technology and enhancing HBPD employee morale.

"During the Pandemic, community outreach was limited to the Safe Neighborhood Districts and Quadrant Safety Board meetings. Now is the time for the HBPD to reconnect and heighten our engagement with the community. Innovation in community policing and crime prevention will foster confidence in our police department to protect and serve Hallandale Beach residents and constituents," says Chief Michel.

Some of the key community-oriented initiatives include reinstituting the community education classes that promote citizen self-defense and anti-victimization, and Command Staff Neighborhood Walks, where members of the command staff walk through neighborhoods throughout the City and listen to citizens during the annual National Night Out Event.

The HBPD has recently invested in technological crime-fighting tools such as License Plate Readers, CCTVs, ShotSpotter (gunshot detection service), Fingerprint Readers, Drones, and Crime Mapping Software to better decipher crime activity and drive policing operations. Technological tools enhance police response and act as a force multiplier.

An equally integral part of Chief Michel's vision is to invest in the organization's most valuable resource, the HBPD employees.

"All of our employees must be properly equipped, sufficiently prepared, and trained to perform their duties at the highest level. To provide the finest service to our community, HBPD employees need to be connected to the department's mission and invested in its future. A professional and enthusiastic work environment is paramount to the ongoing success of the HBPD," says Chief Michel.

Chief Michel was sworn in on June 1, 2022, in the Hallandale Beach Commission Chambers. For more information about The Hallandale Beach Police Department's services, visit www.coHB.org/Police